SHTUFF
by XShiori-chanX
Summary: Hey to all my usual readers; I promised a list of the stories I have been writing, and here they are! Please read each one, and Tell me what you think!  lol the pairing is Cap Hook and Ansem lulz


**I promised; here, a list of all of those stories I've been working on.**

**STORY 1: (no title)**

**Summary:** _Naminé has been blind since she was four years old. She doesn't know how she turned blind or why; but it all happened around the time her parents had died. She lives with foster parents who are almost always arguing, and lives in despair as her father constantly blames his problems on her. Her only friend is a beagle named Lucy. However, she goes to a summer camp for a month to get away from it all- a summer camp for disabled children. There, she meets Roxas, a boy who lost his ability to speak around the same time she had lost her sight; along with Sora, a boy missing an arm, Kairi, a deaf girl, and Xion, Kairi's younger sister, who acts as her translator. What connects Roxas and Namine?_

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><p>I awake to darkness; just like everyday, every morning. There is no sunlight available to pierce the ever present stream of black, not even a faint trickle of light. The darkness is constant, unchanging. It lasts forever, yet stops in front of me. Nothing halts the darkness in my vision.<p>

Something nudges my foot; it's most likely Lucy, my dog, come to give me my morning wake-up call like usual. She whines grumpily and nips at my ankles; I pull them in and swat my hand at her to let her know I'm awake. In response, she lets out a low growl and I hear her exit my room with steady padded steps on the hardwood floor.

I sigh and pull myself out of bed, kicking my covers back and stretching. After everything falls into place and I'm ready to move again, I launch myself off the bed and extend my arms, reaching out.

My normal routine consists of finding my school uniform and putting it on, heading to the bathroom to freshen up, and finally making my way downstairs for some breakfast; but unlike any normal teenager, I have to do all this without sight; I've been blind since I was four years old.

It happened around the time my parents died - my loss of vision, that is. I don't remember what happened exactly; just that we had gone out as a family, and had stopped at a gas station. Anything after that is blank, and filled with the darkness I see today; I never saw my parents again, never heard their cheerful voices. I never saw the light again.

When I was six, I was adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Nabradia; and I live with them as of today. I do love my foster parents, but they don't get along well; since I was eight, they've been arguing every night in loud screams and shouting. However, I was dragged in at ten; After my tenth birthday, my foster father - Vaan - began blaming his problems on me, claiming that I was the source, the entire reason why he and Ashe - my foster mother - were fighting. I believed him at first, but as I matured, I grew to understand his pain.

Sighing, I snagged my uniform off the ground and carefully inspected it; my fingers grazed the material lightly, looking to decipher front from back. As soon as that was done, I slid the T-shirt on and began searching for the skirt. Once discovered, I put it on like the shirt and proceeded to the bathroom to freshen up before heading downstairs.

My foster parents were arguing again, but since it was still early morning, they weren't shouting. For this reason, mornings were always my most favorite time of day; the shouting was reduced to whispers and scoffs. I couldn't see exactly where I was going, so I stretched out my hands as I stepped onto the first floor.

Lucy brushed against my leg; she was going to help me navigate my way to the kitchen, like everyday I smiled and bent down, reaching for her harness; she let me grip it willingly and pulled my forward.

"Good morning, Naminé," Ashe sighed in exasperation. I heard her slump into a chair. A huff and the sound of crinkling paper alerted me to Vaan, who was probably seated across from his wife. I smiled and gave a wave in the general direction of Ashe's voice before Lucy pulled me away.

"Do you need any help?" Vaan called gruffly, a hint of compassion lining his tone. I shook my head as I released Lucy's harness, brushing my hand along the wall of cabinets.

The second one on the right held the cereal, and the fridge is in the corner. There is a stool in front of the sink, and I have to step around it to grab a bowl from the dishwasher. The spoons are in the drawer by the microwave, which is across from the sink.

When you do the same schedule everyday, you tend to fall into a normal pattern; I memorized the layout of my entire house three years ago. There is not a turn or doorway that I don't know; everything is set up in an invisible map within my head.

But there was more to it than that; my sense of hearing is beyond that of any normal person. If I try really hard, I can actually hear someone's steady breaths, and if I'm up close, the beating of their heart. I can sense anything that gets into my way and avoid it with ease; so in a way, being blind has been a positive attribute to my life. But don't get me wrong, I want to see again, more than anything.

My father shuffles the papers in his hand and I hear my mother take a sip of coffee as I spoon a clump of cereal into my mouth. Lucy scrapes by my leg and bumps her head into the side of my chair.

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><p><strong>STORY 2: Learning To Love<strong>

_**Basic Summary**:_

_Two siblings, Naminé and Sora. They're like the beast in beauty and the beast, except their gorgeous. They've been out-casted for their special powers- Namine is showered in an enchantress's magic, and Sora just has anger/greed issues. Namine keeps Sora sane while they live in a deserted mansion on the outskirts of town - barely scraping by on food the government is forced to give them._

_Kairi is the town beauty. She's sweet, smart, caring, and an all around good person. She's constantly bothered by her father and the man in town who thinks he's all that named Riku to get married - but she'd rather stick around and read fairytales and dream of her prince charming. Her only friend is her cousin Roxas - the town's real hotshot, although he likes to hide his true beauty behind sun-glasses, fedoras, and overcoats. Roxas is in an arranged marriage he's constantly running away from._

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><p>Learning to Love<p>

Prologue

Long, long ago, in a town far, far away, in a glade deep within a treacherous forest, there stood a luxurious mansion which was home to a beautiful and kind woman and her family. The woman was a wonder; long and wavy chestnut hair, the brightest of all ruby eyes, and a sweet, nurturing smile she bestowed on every person, big or small. The townsfolk always revered her beauty and showered the lady in compliments, hoping to earn her trust and gentle compassion.

However, only one man happened to leave a mark on her golden heart, a poor but handsome merchant who was laughed at and disliked by the townspeople. His golden spikes were noticeably dirty, his blue eyes cold and distant; but She welcomed the man into her humble home, caring for him and building his trust, while falling in love with him as time passed. The two were married in winter, and within the next year, a child was born; a simply gorgeous baby boy, with tangled milk chocolate spikes and bright, bright blue eyes.

The child was like a gift from the heavens, and was so named; such beauty, bestowed upon one so little, would surely build a fine and handsome young man. Thus, the townsfolk saw the child as a passage; the only light in a world of darkness, the blue sky to part the clouds.

Wealthy noblemen raised their daughters well, in preparation to meet and capture the boy, and had already arranged meetings with the beautiful brunette and her son. But the woman was troubled; how could she bring this perfect child into this world of greed and lust? And from then on, she promised herself, her husband, and her sky that she would protect him. She would not allow him to be goaded into this troublesome life; he would grow up in the same manner as herself, with kind and happy arms to always embrace him in times of need.

But another miracle was bestowed upon the woman and her family; within the next year, a daughter was born. This girl shared her mother and father's beauty equally, with fine, silky blonde hair and a gentle, lavender touch to her aquatic eyes; she was gifted with an enchantress's magic.

The townspeople were overjoyed with the wonderful news, and rejoiced when the small girl was shown to them. The woman was so happy, she didn't care about what others thought of her baby girl; with her deep, wise ocean eyes, which so named her after the gentle ocean wave.

But with this new miracle, came a price. The woman fell ill at a rapid pace; she was imprisoned to her bed when her children had finally reached the ages of four and five. She knew that she did not have long to live; and so told her children this:

_When I am gone, I want you two to find the person you love most. I wish you not oblige to the pressuring words of noblemen - they want nothing more than your beauty. Find someone who loves you for who you are as people; do this, and I may rest in peace._

With her final words spoken, the beautiful woman fell into eternal sleep. Overcome with grief, her husband soon joined her; leaving their beautiful children to fend for themselves, with only two gifts to remember him by. One, a sketchbook once owned by their mother, and a sparkling necklace with nothing but a crown symbol imbedded into the metal. Despite being orphaned at such young ages, the duo surpassed; refusing help from the townsfolk, denying entry of noblemen, the two shut themselves away from the world. The mansion's radiance deteriorated, and within it's walls it had turned ghastly. The young boy turned into an untrusting, introverted, short-tempered monster; his sister, an equally shy, distant, and cold witch. They locked themselves into the confines of their shabby home, with only each other as company. They cried together, and hoped that one day, the people their mother had mentioned would come and save them from their grief and agony.

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><p><strong>STORY 3: Love Me<strong>

**Basic Summary:**

_Nami is the daughter of Cloud Strife, a wealthy business man who owns a newspaper. He never has time for his daughter, and only shows her hate and frustration; a fact that later makes his daughter very rebellious to his decisions and makes it so she never listens to him. Exasperated, he calls his long term friend, Zack Fair; and arranges a marriage between his daughter and Zack's son, Roxas, hoping to make Naminé into the proper young lady she should be._

_Roxas is wealthy but very ordinary, but upon being called for an arranged marriage, her gladly accepts and enters Nami's school. He had taken the examination test long before, and surprisingly, he beats Nami out. He later meets Nami, and the two are then forced into the arranged marriage._

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><p>Chapter 1 The Rebellion<p>

A little girl, maybe six years old, winced as her family's chauffer gently pulled on her hand out of the principal's office. Her tiny black and blue plaid skirt fluttered slightly as she tried her best to pull it down over her bruised knees, even though she knew the chauffer could see them; she was grateful for the navy blue jacket the school made her wear, but only because it hid the angry scratches and dried blood. Out of habit, she reached for a small tuff of hair that randomly stuck out and tugged on it, taking the chauffer's hand.

Even her chauffer - name, Kawasaki Riku - knew that she was in deep trouble. The principal had already called her father; he was not happy, and it would seem that she would receive another scolding and another dosage of the father-daughter-hate relationship glares. Riku knew for a fact that her father hated the small girl; always did, ever since her mother died.

The girl tightened her grip on her schoolbag, refusing to let it go in case she needed to use it as a shield against her father's words. Her father, her hateful, no-tolerance, no-love father, who _never _called her to his office unless she was being punished. She knew she was in a load of trouble; but if she explained, would he believe her?

She flinched away from the flashy black town car as Riku opened the door for her. He gave her a sympathetic look and patted her head to try and console her; it worked, and she hopped inside, rolling the window down. Riku drove them away.

Before long, they were in the shadow of a colossal skyscraper, with giant words at the top reading STRIFE PRESS. Workers parted themselves like the red sea for the small girl to enter the building. She cowered into Riku's leg, taking his hand.

How much did she hate this building? It's sparkling white-tile floor, the glass wall on the first floor, the flashy chandelier in the lobby. Even the elevator, which was made of only 100% glass, frightened her, when it should have been fascinating. She closed her eyes and prepared herself for the worst when the elevator came to an abrupt stop at the very top of the building; her father's office.

Cloud Strife was not amused. The blonde hair he had passed on to his daughter was pointing in every which direction, and his blue eyes were colder than winter in Alaska. His face had many crinkled lines, worn down from sleepless nights, and his mouth was a thin line of frustration. His arms were crossed, never a good sign. Riku bowed before his boss and gave the young girl a small pat on her back, moving her forward. She flinched.

"Thank you, Riku," her father grunted, and Riku quickly fled the scene, taking one last long look at the small girl. Her father cast his hateful gaze down on her.

"Sit," he ordered, and she immediately complied. Folding her hands neatly over her legs in a civilized manner. She watched her father fearfully as he slowly marched across the room to stand in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, gazing down on the pedestrians below like their superior. Which he was.

After a long silence, he finally sighed. "Why did you fight those kids?"

The girl shrunk in her seat slightly. "They were bullying my friend-"

"That doesn't mean you can just go and pick fights! Did you ever think about getting a teacher?" he snapped, turning to face her. She cringed again.

"I-I couldn't just leave her!" she squeaked.

"How can I control a top-tier company when I can't even control my own daughter? Do you know what you do to my image? To my company's image?" he screeched, watching his daughter with narrowed eyes as she began to cry. "Don't be selfish, think about what you do to me!"

The girl bit her tongue on a comeback that almost slipped out; when her father was in a rage, it was always best to just nod and agree with everything he said; so she did exactly that, and apologized for emphasis. Her father's stern look softened, and he turned away.

"Riku!" he called, and the silver-haired man was at his side instantly. "Take her home and send her to bed without a piano lesson."

The girl gasped in shock and betrayal. Her piano lessons were the highlights of her day; he knew that! How could he be so selfish himself, when he was judging others on being selfish? She stood up from her seat defiantly and took Riku's hand.

"I hate you," she muttered under her breath before leaving the room. The look on his face told her that he had heard; and she was glad.

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><p><strong>STORY 4: (no title)<strong>

**basic summary:**

_Namine is captain of a pirate ship, and she herself is a created being from the future called a nobody, so she does not age. She is over six hundred years old and wants to prevent a terrible disaster from happening in the past to change the fate of the future. Her crew, also from the future, consist of Xion, Yuffie, Olette, Riku, (he's a replica of the real, so basically replica Riku, ) Axel, Larxene, Aqua and Marluxia. She picks up runaway Princess Kairi of Destiny Islands and her mute servant boy - who originally joined the ship, which ultimately cause Kairi, who loved him, to follow him - Sora. Namine is currently trying to find a escaped fugitive from the future, DiZ, who has plans to eliminate the Strife family line and create a future under his control. Under strict orders from her creator in the future, Xemnas, Namine must find and capture DiZ before it's too late._

_But DiZ manages to get to Twilight Town - where the royal Strife family reside - first and manages to kill the King and Queen as well as the eldest son. Namine comes just a little too late, and while cursing her loss, she discovers a very confused, angry, and heartbroken Roxas. Rejoicing her high odds, she takes Roxas - who was merely five at the time - on board her ship, Venissela, and has her crew protect him from harm until he turns fifteen. she does not make direct contact with him, but she has taken a valuable toll on Roxas's life as the 'pretty lady with long blonde hair'. Then she wipes his memory clean and places him back in his home, where he is welcomed with open arms._

_But DiZ didn't leave the past. He suspected Namine, and thus stayed behind to spy on her. Upon his discovery of Roxas, he attempts to kidnap and kill the young prince again - but Namine is ready this time, and swears she won't lose Roxas. As Twilight Town burns on the night of his 17th birthday, Namine brings Roxas back to the Venissela, where Roxas is faintly familiar with his surroundings. (Sorry for the lame summary; I'm just copy and pasting all of the ideas I wrote down.)_

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><p>I don't remember everything.<p>

Flames. I remember bright red flames, everywhere. Around me. On the ceiling, walls, floor. Eating everything, everyone. I remember my mother, screaming at me to run, her long brown curls catching the red blaze. I remember my brother pushing me out of the window, pushing me into the ocean, where I would be safe. I remember my Father's agonizing scream, and finally, the man cloaked from head to toe in red jumping from the window, blood dripping from his hands. He disappears in a smoky spiral of black, and I pulled myself onto shore. People were screaming. People were running. People were dying. And then that ship appeared in the distance.

Big, broad, baby blue. Large white sails, whiter than the clouds. A black flag with a strange symbol on it. More people. Dangerous people. Pirates. Coming on shore, swearing loudly. Dousing flames with a flick of the wrist, saving people from doom. A beautiful blonde woman with long curly hair, like my mother, although her image is blurred in my mind. Cold blue eyes sweeping the land. More swearing. A cry of loss, a cry of surrender.

Then Courage built up inside my tiny being. These were my people, my town. My family was dead. It was my job to rule. I remember I stepped up to the pretty blonde lady, who wouldn't come into focus.

She seemed unexpectedly surprised, then she smiled. A really pretty, blurred smile, that made her glow. Everyone cried out in joy. A big, blurry man with silver hair. A tiny boat. The baby blue ship…

Then nothing.

There isn't much I can remember my parents by. There isn't much I can remember about my older brother, either. But what's really weird is the fact that I have no recollection of the last twelve years of my life. Everything I remember about that fire that murdered my mother, Lady Tifa Strife, Queen of Twilight Town, my father Cloud Strife, King and Governor of Twilight Town, and my brother, Ventus Strife, stops with that baby blue ship. I've asked the servants about it, but they say no such ship exists; no one would take the time to hand paint a whole ship. In their words, it was 'Absolutely preposterous, absurd, and completely illogical.' I've also asked them about where I disappeared to in my ten year absence; they say a Lady found me floating in the oceans of Destiny islands, our neighboring Town. They told me that she raised me until she discovered the birthmark on the bottom of my left foot, shaped like a shuriken; the mark of Prince Roxas Strife of the humble Town of Twilight. Then the lady sent me home two years ago, and here I am. But why is it that I can't remember a single thing about a lady in Destiny islands, about her raising me for ten years? Why can't I remember anything?

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><p><strong>STORY 5: Prototype 13<strong>

_**Basic Summary:** Naminé is a robot created by Roxas to resemble Riku's - who is one of the world's most powerful people, who also has Roxas under him as his personal slave - dead wife Xion. She is unemotional, invincible, and lacks mutual understanding of emotions, though she eventually grows. She is an exact replica of Xion, but she has no memory of ever being Xion; even though she has memories _of_ Xion. Roxas is fond of her, for she is his creation._

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><p>Drip, drip, drip…<p>

What was that sound? Was it a sound? What _is_ a sound?

_Vibrations transmitted through an elastic solid or a liquid or gas, with frequencies in the approximate range of 20 to 20,000 hertz, capable of being detected by human organs of hearing._

It was a dripping sound, which should obviously mean that a liquid of some kind is falling in pitter-patters to the ground. Was it water? What is water?

_A clear, colorless, odorless, and tasteless liquid, H2O, essential for most plant and animal life and the most widely used of all solvents. Freezing point 0°C (32°F); boiling point 100°C (212°F); specific gravity (4°C) 1.0000; weight per gallon (15°C) 8.338 pounds (3.782 kilograms)._

Water is dripping from somewhere close by, creating a vibration of sound that is being transmitted to her ears. But…how could she hear it? Where was she? _What_ was she?

"Can you open your eyes?"

A new sound, one that transmitted softly and gently. A kind sound of a human being, a male, five foot seven, weighing 130 pounds. An image materialized in the dark haze that was her infinite mind; a very clear image of a man, most likely the owner of the sweet voice.

His appearance could closely relate to the word stunning. He was tall and lanky, with golden blonde hair flicked upwards and a pair of deep setting blue eyes. His expression was carefree, and he was smiling goofily; a true image of cheer and happiness; _Enjoying, showing, or marked by pleasure, satisfaction, or joy._

"Can you open your eyes?" the man asks again in a louder, clearer voice. She feels the need to please him by complying to his wish. But what were eyes? _The organ of vision. _Where were they located? _On the face, below the forehead and above the nose. _How does one open them?

_There is no scientific method to opening your eyes. You must simply want to see the outside world around you, _A small voice told her. Embracing the thought, she willed herself to see.

Light; it was what first penetrated her mind, her entire thought process. Florescent, energy-saving lights behind clear plastic glass mounted into a ceiling made of panels of smooth white mineral fiber measuring 2' x 4' x 9/16". She stared at the white glow, fascinated and intrigued; _To arouse the interest or curiosity of. _

Light: _Electromagnetic radiation that has a wavelength in the range from about 4,000 (violet) to about 7,700 (__red__) angstroms and may be perceived by the normal unaided human eye. _

"That's my girl." she heard the male voice call fondly, and her eyes flitted to the side, staring into the face of the image in her mind.

But something was different; in the image, he looked cheerful, like a person who had never experienced sadness or pain. The man before her was not tall and lanky, but malnourished and bruised. His hair was not a golden blonde, but a dull yellow-brown. And his eyes; the beauty of his eyes still remained clear in her mind, but this man's eyes were almost black. The blue seemed only visible to her, who's eyes could analyze any and everything. Where had the bright, radiant ocean color disappeared to?

"Good morning," he whispered, striding closer to her. She watched his movements carefully, and drew a detailed picture of him within her mind. She noticed small things; the limp in his step, the nearly healed cut on his face, the bruise peeking out over a checkered wristband.

But the worse of all his injuries had to be the electronic collar around his neck, and the burn marks beneath them; it continuously flashed a red light, most likely signaling it's 'on' status. She didn't know of it's effects, but she knew it was dangerous.

Dangerous: _able or likely to cause physical injury._

"It's good to see you again," he whispers quietly, running his rough, calloused fingers through her hair and sweeping it out of her vision. She followed his every movement with her eyes, tucking each second away in her mind. He silently stares back at her with an odd look.

An image materializes in her mind again, and it's of the man. He was giving her the same look; and a portion of her infinite brain tacks on the label _love_. The man was giving her a look of pure love, adoration: _a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person. _

But…who was he?

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><p><strong>STORY 6: (they keep on coming lol) Don't Fall Asleep<strong>

**Basic Summary: **Co written with **Lord Piggy**.

Terra, Aqua, and Ven all survive a head-on collision with a drunk driver. Aqua comes off with bruises and scratches, Terra, a few broken bones and a bloody nose, but Ven is in a deep coma. You follow Ven as he travels through the mansion first; but now, he cannot leave, being forced to recreate a ritual; where someone outside of the family is sacrificed to please the gods. In the real world, he tosses and turns in his hospital bed, like he's having a bad dream; Aqua and Terra watch helplessly as their friend slowly dies; then, he mysteriously disappears, leaving nothing but a small black key in his bed. The doctors are completely shocked, and now the police search for his body.

But now Terra and Aqua both are thrust into the nightmares. They both have the same dream every night; they're in a mansion layered in snow. It's half demolished, but mostly intact. What draws them in, is the shadowy figure of Ventus in the doorway, waving them forward.

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><p>OnE, tWo. VanI'S ComINg FoR YOU...<p>

A little girl wearing red and white ceremonial robes skips along a barren hallway, holding flowers in her hands. Her feet are bare and make soft thumping sounds as they make contact with the hardwood floor. She's smiling, giggling childishly as she runs along the desterted path. Follow her.

ThrEe, FOuR, beTtEr lOcK yOur DoOr.

She opens a door to a square garden with a large tree standing in the center of an untouched dirt pit. She runs around the enclosure shutting the tree away from the halls and hurries down the stone steps, crouching down to lay the flowers at the tree's base. She picks herself up and runs away - surroundign the tree are thousandsupon thousands of paper dolls,all stained in blood and skewered on spikes coming out of the ground around the tree. Don't look.

FivE, SiX, graB yOuR CruSaFIX.

The girl continues to run, back around the tree to two large double doors that screamed 'Do-not-open'. She slides them apart and slips inside, giggling as she closes it behind her. With her kimono sleeves and her silky blonde hair flowing in the breeze behind her, she runs across the stone walkway - past a small shrine and six concrete lantern holders - into what looks to be a shrine. With another hearty giggle, she beckons you to follow. Don't let her out of your sight.

SeVEn, eIGht, GoNnA stAy uP LaTE.

Within the shrine, the girl runs to the far wall; a door is hidden there, and she pushes it aside to enter. Down, down, down the stairs she runs, never tiring, the smile never leaving her face. the only sound is the pitter-patter of her footsteps echoing off the stone walls; you're heading underground. She pulls a stake out from within her pocket and holds it to her chest as she reaches the bottom of the never ending stairwell. Watch Carefully.

On the floor is a woman - beautiful, blonde, and motionless. Three other young girls surround her, each holding their own stake and a devilish grin. The blonde joins them, and the four girls together crouch down over the woman's four limbs, holding their stake over hand or ankle. A man steps out of the shadows, lauhing maniacally with golden eyes as he watches his own daughter be impaled. It's too late to turn back now.

NinE, TeN...

_Never Sleep Again..._

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><p><strong>STORY 7: (No title)<strong>

**Basic Summary:** _This story has no summary; I wrote it on a whim, and I just didn't stop writing. However, all I know is that These two will meet at a wedding; THe file's name is Wedding Story. lol :D_

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><p>"Aw, how cute! How old is she?" a portly lady with three children asked, parking her shopping cart precariously close to his. The lady peered into the small bundle of pink in his arms and cooed.<p>

"Oh. Uh, she's about nine months," he answered stiffly, stepping away from one of her children zooming by his feet. The lady smiled grimly.

"Must be hard, being a single parent, huh?" she sighed. He looked at her quizzically, staring down at the baby in his arms and understanding.

"Um, no, I-"

"It was nice meeting you." and the lady walked away.

The boy huffed and blew his bangs out his face in irritation. '_I'm sixteen, you know!' _he wanted to shout, but the lady had already disappeared around the corner, and he didn't want to wake his poor, innocent little bundle of joy. _His baby niece. _He rocked her gently and continued to stare off in space at his watch post by the shopping cart while he waited for his brother and soon-to-be sister-in-law.

Of course, all the natural necessities of child care were placed evenly inside the metal contraption; baby formula, diapers, a new bottle, a few bibs, and even a new pacifier. There was a small amount of merchandise for the remainder of the family. Just frozen dinners and buckets of ice cream - what he had been living off of for the past nine months. All because of the baby.

He didn't hate her. Not at all. He loved little Xion with all of his heart - well, most if it anyway. He couldn't bring himself to hate her, or her parents for that matter. His brother Cloud had been taking care of him since he was five; deceased parents and all that jazz. Finally the ripe age of twenty-five, he met a girl - a pretty girl - and this creature was born. Roxas was thankful for Tifa, Cloud's girlfriend and fiancé, just as much as he was thankful for Xion.

Besides, if it wasn't for the little squirt, his brother would _never _have gotten married.

"Roxas!" he heard. He turned around swiftly and passed little Xion to her mother, who cradled her lovingly. Cloud sighed and heaved large bags of fruit into the free space of the cart. He put a hand on his shoulder.

"Could you go get the dog food? I'll be with Tifa in the pharmacy," he grumbled impatiently, taking control of the cart and steering away. He was soon left by himself, and decided to carry out his assigned task.

Retrieve the dog food.

Everything seemed to happen because of Xion, lately; she was born, Cloud proposed. She was born, they got a dog. (even though he had been _begging _for one ever since he could remember) she was born, they finally moved out of a clustered apartment into a nice townhouse outside of city limits. She was born, he finally got his own room with a nice view of the country. She was born, he was (slowly) learning how to cook.

He picked up a small bag of puppy chow and checked the price. $10.99. Reasonable enough. He tightened his hand around the bag and began to head back to Cloud - but he had caught notice of his reflection and a group of giggling high school girls behind him.

He sighed. He was Roxas Strife, blessed with good looks. Dirty blonde spikes expertly tossed around on his head in a disarray so sexy it made girls swoon just to look at the style. The deepest and coldest sapphire blue eyes - hiding shyly behind a layer of bangs he refused to cut - that apparently made many girls believe in 'love at first sight'. A casual style, his hands always imbedded in his pockets, and a skateboard under his arm just finished his look. He sent a dizzying glare at his reflection and the girls before storming away.

Trying to ignore every amazed glance sent his way, he trooped through the isles back to his brother's side, placing the bag of dog food inside the cart. Noticing the same pair of high school girls staring at him and his brother, he pulled his hood over his head. Cloud sent a glare in their direction before turning to Tifa and putting a hand on her shoulder.

"_Honey_," he emphasized, eyeing the disappointment on the girl's faces with glee, "I think that's everything we need."

Tifa smiled, unaware of Cloud's devious goal. "Yeah. Roxas, could you hold her?"

He held his arms out wordlessly, feeling the light weight of his sleeping niece in his arms. She giggled in her sleep and cuddled into his chest. Shifting her weight to one hand, he pulled his hood down lower to cover his face as he passed a group of cheerleaders from his school.

Finally, the Strife family checked out of the grocery store and loaded into the slick convertible hiding under the shade of a tree. He belted his little niece into her car seat, making sure not to jostle her as Cloud sped out of the parking lot and onto the streets. In half an hour, they were home.

Since they had moved into the country only a mere two months ago, there were still blank, barren walls of nothing that were begging to be filled by some kind of home décor, and cardboard boxes were still hiding in the coat closet. Roxas slipped off his shoes by the door in silence and took Xion up to her room on the second floor.

Out of every room in the house, Xion's was the brightest. The walls painted like a rainbow, with pinks, blues, yellows and whites, always shifted with the way the sun reflected through the large window across the room. Said large window took up most of the far wall and offered a breathtaking view of lush green hills, cloudless skies, and the occasional chocobo eating the grass. Xion's toys littered the white carpet, and her crib lay on the opposing wall. He gently placed her inside and turned on the little wind up toy that hung from the ceiling before sulking to his room at the end of the hall.

The little house was roomy. Downstairs, there was a spacious living room, a kitchen, and two guest rooms, along with the 'laundry' room and a bathroom. Upstairs was nothing but a long hallway with doors breaking off on both sides. Xion's was right by the stairwell, and across from hers was Cloud and Tifa's room. There was a bathroom in their room as well as a bathroom further down the hall, across from a makeshift loft, and at the very end, was a black door with a red roman numeral thirteen on it; his room.

He had no idea why, but despite his gloomy appearance, his room was cozy. Everything within was white; walls, bed sheets, carpet, desks, nightstands, dresser. There were no posters along the walls, no photos of his family and friends. It was just blank.

The real estate agent had told him that the family before them had a daughter the same age as him; she was supposedly very quiet, shy, and petite. He told him that the room he occupied now once belonged to her; and she had forever kept it clean, always without a speck of color in the room. For some reason, Roxas found the urge to keep what she had left behind untouched; the white abyss, without any color. The only touch of 'Roxas' that he added was by painting the outside of the door.

He groaned and threw himself onto his bed, letting the cushions comfort his aching back. In two weeks, Tifa and Cloud would be getting married. In two months, he would start school again. In two years, he'll be off to college.

He looked at the clock. 3:58. In two minutes, Xion would wake up screaming and Tifa would make him handle it.

So far, two was a very unlucky number.

She wrapped her fingers around the floral garland with a delicate touch, softly aligning it to mix in with all of the surrounding flowers around her. With a final addition, she stood back to examine her work.

A bright and cheerful display of white roses stood in front if her on an easel, shaped expertly into a heart. She had allowed a few stray leaves to remain untouched within, and it just added to the natural radiance of her art. She grinned in satisfaction and closed a sketchbook laying close by, which held the exact same image of the bouquet like a photograph.

"Mom! I'm finished!" she shouted gleefully. Her mother, with her short blonde hair framing her heart shaped face, beamed as she stepped into the back room.

"Oh Naminé, it's gorgeous!" she praised, wrapping her only daughter in a hug. It was returned wholeheartedly.

Naminé loved her job as a florist. She loved her mother's shop, Her coworkers, the smell of freshly cut flowers of every kind - roses, violets, lilies, azaleas, tulips, so on. She loved her location; twenty-third street and Sunset Boulevard, on the corner across from the _Darling Dresses_, a wedding boutique across the street. She loved the customers, the happy smiles, the cheerful faces.

Her mother released her from the hug and looked down at her, pushing a long strand of dark brown hair away from her face. She still looked pleased but a momentary sternness came over her. "I wish you'd dye your hair back to blonde, honey…"

Naminé sighed and rolled her eyes behind thick rimmed glasses. She'd been over this before. She would not remove the ugly brown dye from her hair because if she did, Seifer - her school's residential bully - would continuously call her a ditzy blonde. She would not remove her glasses, which magnified her eyes ten fold, because if she did, no one would recognize her. She would not remove the knitted winter hat from her head. She would not get rid of her faded, holey sneakers. She refused to change.

Before she could retaliate with a cunning comeback, the bells hanging above their door chimed, signaling the entrance of a customer. Her mother lit up and took her hand, dragging her into the front room.

She hated it out here. In the open. Exposed. Even if she knew she would never be harmed within the sanctuary of the shop, she could feel the stares on her back, the unasked questions. The whole front half of the building was constructed out of nothing but glass; so you could see out, and people could see in. she could feel it. The words. The stabs. Everyone asking, '_Who's this dork? This nerd, this moron.' _she wanted nothing more than to retreat into the inner sanctum of the 'employees only' section.

"Hi! Welcome to Ashe's Floral. How can I help you?" her mother asked, rushing to the customers aid. She was an elderly lady with many wrinkles adorning her grey hair, and she walked with a cane. There was a snobbish, high aristocratic air about her.

"Well, dear, can you give me a bundle of roses? Chop, chop, haven't all day now," the lady barked. Her mother smiled pleasantly and bowed, secretly rolling her eyes as she marched back into the back room. She tried to busy herself by tending to the flowers, but the old lady caught her in a vise-like stare.

"You there. How old are you?" she hissed, coughing with a sharp intake of breath.

"Fifteen. I turn sixteen in two months, Miss," she answered confidently, eyeing the entryway her mother was bound to walk through at any second. The lady scoffed.

"What is wrong with your outfit? You look like a homeless child, for Pete's sake. And that posture. Stand up straight! Chin up!" Namine quickly did as she was told out of fear; the old lady seemed merciless. "Your hair is a mess, child. You should at least try to take care of it."

She bit her lip. How she hated criticism.

"And honestly child, Don't you want to look beautiful? Why are you wearing such horrible clothes? And your glasses - contacts would make you look lovely!"

Naminé knew that the lady was right. If she shed the oversized grey sweater off of her body and wore one of her favorite sun dresses, she would look model worthy. Her sky

Colored eyes would glow if she took off her magnifying glasses. Her brown hair would make her look angelic if she removed the dye. But she didn't like attention. She hated the rumors. She hated her old life.

She had moved away from the country only a few months ago. She moved away from her friends, her home, and her old self. Because Naminé was a queen at Sunset Studios Prep Academy; she was stunning, she was popular, she was unavailable. But who knew? Those words other girls spoke of her stung like knives being thrown at her heart. The unsatisfied want of every guy begging her to get into her pants frightened her. So she begged her mother to move. To move away from it all; to start over. And that she did.

She went to Twilight Town Academy now; the average high school with popular people and losers. She changed her hair, she changed her clothes, she changed herself. She was free.

She was relieved to see her mother fly through the doorway and hand a stunning bouquet of beautiful red roses to the lady, who nodded curtly and handed her the money before storming out. Ashe Nabradia sighed and made a face at the retreating back of the old lady as she marched across the street with her cane. Naminé laughed at her mother's antics and retreated to the back room, barely dodging her mother.

"Naminé, I wish you'd try to get along more. You're turning into an antisocial!"

* * *

><p><strong>SO...this is basically most of what I've been working on. If I put EVERYTHING I've ever worked on in here, this thing would be HUGE. Now, if any of these stories catches your attention, please, leave a review to let me know! <strong>

**All Written and Signed by,**

**~XShiori - ChanX~**

**;)**


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